The invention relates to a rotary dispenser for dispensing deodorants, cremes, gels and the like, and is particularly drawn to dispenser of such products wherein the products are sensitive to pressure.
In the deodorant industry, one popular form of the product is a creme or gel which is dispensed from a dispenser through rotary, pushup or other mechanisms which force material out of an applicator portion, typically an apertured applicator surface. Such compositions are quite sensitive to pressure and, small increases beyond atmospheric pressure can lead to breaking down of the composition. Further, the structure of typical dispensers allow for additional products to continue to dispense from the dispenser or weep after use as a result of remaining excess pressure within the housing.
A number of attempts have been made to address this issue. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,803 to Szekely, discloses a dispenser wherein the applicator surface is positioned on a xe2x80x9cdomexe2x80x9d which floats, or can move relative to the housing, such that after use any internal pressure biases the dome upwardly to relieve same.
Numerous other efforts have been made to provide mechanisms whereby internal increased pressure can be relieved. These mechanisms are drawn to a partial withdrawing of an elevator mechanism within the housing that is conventionally used to drive the product.
Although some of these mechanisms do provide relief of pressure, the need remains for an effective and reliable structure whereby internal pressure is relieved. This need extends to a mechanism which is simple and acceptable to the consumer, and which is not problematic during manufacture of the package and/or filling of the product.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide such a dispenser.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinbelow.
In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing objects and advantages have been readily attained.
According to the invention, a rotary dispenser is provided having internal pressure relief, and this dispenser comprises a housing; an elevator slidably and non-rotatably disposed in said housing; a rotatable drive member rotatably disposed in said housing and engaged with said elevator whereby rotation of said drive member slides said elevator relative to said housing;
a dome slidably and non-rotatably mounted relative to said housing and having at least one aperture for dispensing product from inside of said housing; and a pressure relief member comprising a cam and a cam follower, one of said cam and said cam follower being associated with said rotatable drive member and the other of said cam and said cam follower being associated with said dome, said cam follower being rotatably engaged with said cam, whereby rotation of said rotatable drive member relative to said dome rotates one of said cam and said cam follower relative to the other of said cam and said cam follower, said cam having at least one first cam surface for causing axial movement of said dome toward said elevator and at least one second cam surface for allowing movement of said dome away from said elevator.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a rotary dispenser is provided having internal pressure relief, wherein the dispenser comprises a housing; an elevator slidably and non-rotatably disposed in said housing; a rotatable drive member rotatably disposed in said housing and engaged with said elevator whereby rotation of said drive member slides said elevator relative to said housing; a dome slidably and non-rotatably mounted relative to said housing and having at least one aperture for dispensing product from inside of said housing; and means associated between said rotatable drive member and said dome for sequentially moving said dome toward said elevator and away from said elevator responsive to rotation of said rotatable drive member.